


when you smile (the whole world stops and stares)

by paleromantic



Series: AFTG Bingo - Aaron/Katelyn card [4]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Angst, Eating Disorder, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Eating Disorder, Panic Attack, aaron loves her so much, bad day, katelyn shaves her head, tw for negative self image
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-17 15:43:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16519343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paleromantic/pseuds/paleromantic
Summary: He heard a sniff, and fell silent. “Katie? Baby, where are you, I’m coming to get you.”She cleared her throat and then sniffed again. “I-I’m in my dorm, I…”Aaron turned on his heel and started walking in the direction of the dorms where the cheerleaders lived, before breaking into a jog. Jeans and a jacket weren’t exactly the best clothes for running, but he hardly noticed. “I’m on my way to you, are you alright?”Katelyn didn’t say anything for a while, and then she whimpered. “Aaron, I did something stupid.”(Choosing to be bald prompt)





	when you smile (the whole world stops and stares)

Katelyn was not having a good day, a good month, if Aaron was being honest with himself. He knew that she was getting bad again when she stopped wanting to get coffee together, really. They usually went after class every day. Katelyn usually loved it. Another red flag popped up when she stopped wanting to have sex with him, too. They didn’t have sex very _often_ , given both of their busy schedules, but when they did she was usually pretty vocal about her own enjoyment. Now, she could barely change in the same room as him.

She had struggled with eating disorders before, he knew that because she had told him, and sometimes it reared its ugly head when she was stressed, or if someone made a shitty comment about her. She had started looking in mirrors more, Aaron noticed, and he had been trying to step in and stop her whenever he saw it. He was worried about him, to put it lightly, but he had no idea what to do other than be there for her.

Which was why he felt his heart stop when his phone started to ring in the middle of class, a class that Katelyn hadn’t shown up to. Apologising, he got up and pressed the phone to his eat, walking to the door with his bag in hand. “Kate? I’ve been calling you all morning, where-”

He heard a sniff, and fell silent. “Katie? Baby, where are you, I’m coming to get you.”

She cleared her throat and then sniffed again. “I-I’m in my dorm, I…”

Aaron turned on his heel and started walking in the direction of the dorms where the cheerleaders lived, before breaking into a jog. Jeans and a jacket weren’t exactly the best clothes for running, but he hardly noticed. “I’m on my way to you, are you alright?”

Katelyn didn’t say anything for a while, and then she whimpered. “Aaron, I did something stupid.”

Aaron’s brain went into overdrive, imagining all of the things that could mean. Had she hurt herself? Cheated on him? Worse? He felt his own breathing speed up, and had to work to get it back under control.

He got there in half the time it usually would have taken him, and his heart was pounding as he took out the key Katelyn had given him, unlocking the door and stepping inside. The apartment was a mess, the acrid smell of vomit making him wince slightly.

“Katelyn? Kate, where are you?”

He put down his bag, and walked further into the shared apartment, until he heard Katelyn respond from the bathroom. He walked towards it, bracing himself before he went in. Whatever had happened, he couldn’t freak out. They’d be fine. They’d be _fine_.

Katelyn sniffed, and then let out a quiet sob, and Aaron opened the door, stepping inside. Katelyn was sitting on the bath while hugging herself tight, and on the floor beside her lay a scissors and-

_Oh._

“Oh, Kate.” Aaron swallowed, and then took a step forward. Her hair lay in piles around her, and he saw an electric razor lying on the sink, golden strands tangled in the blades. The hair that was left on her head was uneven, sticking out at angles, and she started to cry again as he looked at her. She was only wearing a light vest too, and Aaron could see why she had been so hesitant to get changed around him recently. He could see her _ribs_. His stomach knotted up.

“I know, I l-look terrible Aar. You don’t have to say it. I’m _disgusting_.”

It wasn’t the best she had ever looked, that was true, but by no means was Aaron going to say that. Instead, he dropped to his knees and held his hands up, offering her a hug. She looked at him before nodding once, and he pulled her into a tight embrace. She collapsed against him a little, and he brought a hand up to her head, holding her there for a while. After she had cried herself out, he pulled back, and then pressed a kiss to her forehead. His knees were aching, but he just traced her jaw with his thumb.

“You’re beautiful, Katie.”

She chuckled wetly. “You don’t have to say that, just because you feel bad.”

Aaron shook his head, and then tilted her head up to kiss her. “You could wear a bin bag every day and still look like a model, babe. But why didn’t you tell me that it was getting bad again?”

She swallowed, and then looked around. “Y-You were busy with Exy, Aar, and you were doing so well with Andrew… I need to clean this up, I..”

Aaron cut her off. “I’ll do it, but first let’s make your new haircut even, yeah?”

He picked up the electric razor, and switched it on. Katelyn bit her lip before nodding, letting him shear off the remaining long pieces of hair, leaving her hair buzzed short and even. It was pretty cute, even if Aaron was biased. It made her eyes look brighter, if that was possible.

“There, that’s better. You should have told me, babe, I would have done whatever I needed to, to be here for you.” Josten took enough days off when Andrew was bad, Aaron figured that he was owed some. He helped her up to her feet, brushing the hair off her clothes, and walked her to the bedroom, sitting her down on the bed. From there, he went back into the bathroom, gathering up the hair again and dumping it into the little bathroom trash can. He sighed, and then picked up the scissors, putting it back in the cabinet, before putting the electric razor in beside it.

Katelyn had gotten up by the time he got back, and he was shocked to find that she looked more unhealthy than he had thought. He hadn’t even _noticed_. He must have been a shitty fucking boyfriend, then. “I should have fucking been here, Kate. I’m so sorry.”

“What? Aar, no.” She shook her head and then turned to face him, visibly hesitating before stepping closer, letting him put his hands on her. He could feel her hipbones, and he pushed down another wave of self loathing. It had been happening right under his nose, and he had been too _busy_.

He squeezed her hips gently, kissing her before pulling back to find her some clothes. He settled on some jeans, and one of his old jerseys that he had given to her. It hung loose, and he knew that he had made the right decision when she relaxed a little.

“Kate, we’re going out.” Aaron swallowed, and then shook his head. “Ice cream, pancakes, fucking- fucking _sushi_ , whatever you’ll eat.”

She bit her lip, but seemed to sense that he wasn’t about to take no for an answer. “Yeah, okay. What about…”

She gestured at her head, and then hugged herself again. Aaron hummed, and then went to rustle through her drawers, finding a beanie. It was pretty cold out, it wouldn’t look so out of place. He offered it to her, and she took it, putting it on and giving him a shaky smile. Aaron grinned and kissed her, then.

“Perfect, babe. Ready to go, then?”

She nodded and he took out his phone, texting Andrew that he needed to borrow the car for a couple of hours, adding an _it’s important, Katelyn isn’t okay_ to the end. Hopefully Andrew would understand.

A few minutes later, his brother texted back, allowing him to.

“Alright, Fox tower?”

Katelyn nodded, and then took his hand, letting him lead her out of the apartment. Aaron let out a slow breath, and then held her hand tight. They’d be okay.


End file.
